USA > Ohio > Union County > Jerome > History of Jerome Township, Union County, Ohio > Part 12
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About the last of December the regiment was ordered back to Tazwell, where they were in such close proximity to the enemy that they could not forage off the country for supplies without being in danger of an attack from a large force of rebel cavalry ever on the alert for foragers. This condition continued through all the month of January and many men of the Brigade died of exposure.
A number of the officers of the 129th had seen service in other regiments, where they had a thorough military training,
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and during these terrible days of suffering were untiring in their efforts for the comfort of the men. It was a campaign of terrible suffering, and it may well be doubted if any other Ohio regiment passed through such a siege of hardships as did the 129th Regiment in the same length of service.
During all of these days and weeks the men performed their duties like veterans, and without murmur or complaint, as attested by their officers. About the 1st of February the regiment was ordered back to the Gap and then marched to Camp Nelson, one hundred and thirty-five miles distant. From there the regiment moved by rail to Cleveland, Ohio, where it was mustered out March 4th, 1864.
The losses by death during the six months' service were twenty-five.
136TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE HUNDRED DAYS' SERVICE.
The 136th Regiment was organized under the call of the President for the "Hundred Days' Men," in May, 1864. It was composed of companies of the Ohio National Guard from Union County, Morrow County, Crawford County, and Ma- rion County. Union County had three full companies in this regiment - Company D, Captain David S. Norvell; Company H, Captain Charles Fullington, and Company K, Captain Alpheus B. Parmeter, numbering in the three com- panies 274 men.
Twenty-eight men of Jerome Township served in this regiment, many of whom were married men and of the most substantial farmers, leaving their homes just when the corn and other crops were being planted, thus entaling heavy finan- cial loss, as but few men were left at home to farm the land. A majority of the young men of the township were in the service and at the front, and this was a most critical time. A newspaper article published at the time gives a good idea of the situation, from which the following is a quotation :
"Fortunate was it for the country that the Governor of Ohio held in his hand this reserved thunderbolt of war. The
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crisis of the Rebellion was upon us. The rebel foe was inso- lent and sanguine. They were gathering their whole military power and preparing to hurl it upon the Union columns in one deadly and decisive conflict. The hearts of all brave men throbbed in unwonted anxiety as they looked upon the formid- able array of rebel hosts. They saw that the impending con- flict must speedily occur. They knew that failure to our arms would be an inexpressible disaster to the National cause ; and all wanted the assurance of our success made doubly sure by giving additional strength to our armies in the field. To render that strength effective, it must be added at once. The exigency permitted of no delay. The reënforcements must come then, or their coming would be useless for the critical moment of the campaign. It was at this moment of public anxiety - a moment pregnant with the Nation's future - that Governor Brough sent forth the reserved power of thirty- five thousand brave and gallant National Guards."
This regiment was mustered into the service at Camp Chase May 13th, under Colonel W. S. Irwin, and was immedi- ately ordered to Washington, where it arrived May 20th and was assigned to garrison duty at Fort Ellsworth, Fort Wil- liams, and Fort North, south of the Potomac River, and was assigned to the Third Brigade, De Russey's Division.
Strict discipline and continuous drill were inaugurated by the commanding officer and the regiment was soon in fine condition for an active campaign. They not only drilled in infantry tactics, but details were made to man the heavy guns on the forts, and many of the men became efficient in artillery practice.
The regiment remained on garrison duty continuously in the defenses around Washington until the term of service expired, and won the praise of the commanding officer of the defenses by their soldiery bearing at all times. The regiment was mustered out August 30th, 1864, and the loss by death was twenty-five.
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145TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE HUNDRED DAYS' SERVICE.
This regiment was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, May 12th, 1864, to serve one hundred days. It was composed of the Twenty-first Battalion, Ohio National Guard, from Dela- ware County, and the Thirteenth Battalion, Ohio National Guard, from Erie County. The regiment was immediately or- dered to Washington City, and, on its arrival, was asigsned to General Augur as garrison for Forts Whipple, Woodbury, Albany and Tillinghast, comprising the southern defenses of Washington, on Arlington Heights.
The service of the regiment consisted principally of garri- son and fatigue duty. On the 20th of August, the time of its enlistment having expired, the regiment was moved, by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, to Baltimore, and thence by the Northern Central, Pennsylvania Central, etc., to Camp Chase, where, on the 24th of August, it was mustered out on expira- tion of term of service.
But one Jerome Township soldier served in this regiment, and the loss by death was ten.
174TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE-YEAR SERVICE.
Under the President's call of July, 1864, for troops to serve for one year, two full companies were recruited in Union County. Leaving Marysville for Camp Chase on the 31st of August, they were assigned as Companies B and C, of the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Ohio Infantry.
The original commissioned officers of Company B were U. D. Cole, Captain ; Peter Hill, First Lieutenant, and George Harriman, Second Lieutenant. During its term of service this company lost five killed in battle, six wounded and twelve died in hospitals.
Company C was mustered in under the following commis- sioned officers: William H. Robb, Captain; W. B. Brown, First Lieutenant, and Joseph Swartz, Second Lieutenant.
Captain Robb was discharged on account of wounds re-
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ceived at Murfreesboro, and Lieutenant Brown was then pro- moted to Captain, and was in command of the company until wounded at Kingston, March 10th, 1865, after which the com- mand devolved upon Lieut. T. B. Myers.
Company C lost eight of its members on the fields and in the hospitals, and fourteen wounded. Union County was rep- resented among the field and staff officers of this regiment by A. J. Sterling, who served as Lieutenant Colonel from the or- ganization of the regiment until its muster out.
The One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Ohio was organized September 21st, 1864, under Colonel John S. Jones, and, on the 23rd, left Ohio for Nashville, Tenn., to report to Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, then commanding the Military Division of the Mississippi. On arrival at Nashville, orders were re- ceived to proceed to Murfreesboro, which was then threatened by Forrest's rebel cavalry.
The regiment remained at Murfreesboro until October 27th, when it moved to Decatur, Ala., and assisted in defending that garrison from an attack made by Hood's advance. After a movement to the mouth of Elk Creek and back again, the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth remained at Decatur, until recalled to Murfreesboro to participate in the investment of that stronghold. It took an active part in the battle at Overall's Creek, losing two officers wounded, six men killed and thirty- eight wounded.
After this engagement the regiment was ordered on dress parade and was complimented in person by General Rousseau for gallantry. In the battle of the Cedars it again distin- guished itself by making a charge on the enemy's breastworks and capturing two cannons, a stand of rebel colors belonging to the First and Fourth Florida, and about two hundred pris- oners. The regiment lost in this engagement one commissioned officer killed and seven wounded ; four men killed and twenty- two wounded. It was complimented in general orders for its conduct on this occasion.
After having participated in all the fighting around Mur- freesboro, the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth joined the
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Twenty-third Army Corps at Columbia, Tenn., and was as- signed to the First Brigade, First Division of that corps. In January, 1865, it moved to Washington City, where it remained in camp until February 21st, then proceeded to North Caro- lina, and, joining the forces under General Cox, took a con- spicuous part in the battle of Five Forks, at Kingston.
On the 10th of March it successfully resisted a fierce attack made by General Hoke. It lost two officers wounded, four men killed and twenty-three wounded.
This was the last battle in which the regiment was engaged. It joined Sherman's forces at Goldsboro, and served under General Schofield at Wanesboro, N. C., until mustered out at Charoltte, June 28th. Then returning to Columbus, Ohio, it was paid off, and discharged July 7th, 1865.
Colonel John S. Jones, who commanded the regiment, had served three years as a Captain in the Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and had seen hard service at the front, participating, with his regiment, in twenty-one battles in the Army of the Potomac, including the battle of Gettysburg. Lieutenant Colonel James A. Sterling of Union County had served as a Captain in the 31st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, Army of the Cumberland, having been discharged by reason of wounds received at the battle of Chickamauga.
Under these officers of long service, with many other vet- erans who had seen service at the front, the regiment became, in a short time, one of the best disciplined and best drilled regiments in the department to which it was assigned and was always depended on in any emergency. It may well be doubted if any other one-year regiment had a better record than the 174th, and the boys who served in it may well take a just pride in their services.
Fourteen Jerome Township soldiers served in this regi- ment. The losses by death were one hundred and seventeen.
187TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE-YEAR SERVICE.
The 187th Regiment was one of the last full regiments recruited to serve one year under the call of President Lin-
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coln in July, 1864. One company of this regiment was re- cruited in Union County by Captain William P. Welsh and was the last company recruited in the county for Civil War service. It was composed largely of farmers, strong of body and lithe of limb, and there were great discrepancies in their ages. Many of the members were mere boys of twelve or thir- teen years of age when the war commenced. They had re- mained at home to do the farm work and care for the families while the older brothers had enlisted, and many of them had fallen on the battle line or died of disease.
The boys who had been left at home had now grown to manhood and went forth to take the places of their fathers or brothers who had fallen. Then there were men of more mature years who had served in other organizations and were true and tried veterans. This was very fortunate, as the young boys, profiting by the experience and instructions of the vet- erans in the ranks, soon learned to care for their wants, both in camp and on the march, and were ready for campaigning in a few weeks, whereas if the regiment had been composed of all raw recruits, it would have taken months. Fourteen Jerome Township boys served in Company B of this regiment.
The regiment was mustered in at Camp Chase, Ohio, March 1st, 1864, under Colonel R. Z. Dawson and Lieut. Col. L. R. Davis, both veterans of service in other organizations. On the 3rd of March the regiment received orders to report at Nash- ville and on to Dalton, Ga., where they went into camp, and through the 'months of March and April were employed in drilling and guard duty, and were brought to a high state of efficiency in discipline by their veteran officers. At one time the regiment was ordered out on a scout and made a hard night march down through Sugar Valley, south of Chattanooga, which was considered a hard introductory campaign, even by the veterans. The regiment marched to Kingston, Ga., where 2,000 soldiers of the Confederate army of Lee and Johnson surrendered and were paroled, after which they returned to Dalton. When the railroads had been repaired the regiment was ordered to Macon by rail.
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During the summer and fall of 1865 the regiment was on garrison duty at Macon. As the Confederate soldiers were returning to their homes and the citizens were necessarily re- questing many favors by reason of the fact that both the Union and Confederate armies, having passed through that section in the fall of 1864, had stripped the country very largely of both forage and provisions, the duties of the regiment were com- plicated and arduous.
The war having ended, the discipline among the troops out- side the garrison was very lax and caused a great deal of trou- ble to the Provost Guard, as they had to make many arrests. During the service of the regiment as Provost Guards they were very highly commended for discipline and soldierly bear- ing at all times as one of the best regiments in the service of that department.
The losses in the regiment by death were fifty-four. The regiment was mustered out at Macon, Ga., January 20th, 1866, and was discharged and paid off at Camp Chase, Ohio, January 23rd.
191ST REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE-YEAR SERVICE.
The 191st Regiment was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered into the service March 10th, 1865, under Colonel Robert B. Kimberly, who had served as Lieutenant Colonel of the 41st O. V. I .; Lieut. Col. Edward M. Driscoll, who had served as a Captain in the Third Ohio Infantry, and Maj. Nathaniel J. Manning, who had served as a Captain in the 25th O. V. I. It was very fortunate that the regiment was organ- ized under these veteran officers, and it was soon equipped and ready for the field.
On the day of organization, the regiment was ordered to Winchester, Va., and reported to General Hancock, who was in command of the First Army Corps, but was intercepted by an order to stop at Harper's Ferry, and was assigned to a brigade composed of the 192nd O. V. I., 193rd O. V. I. and 196th O. V. I., thus forming an Ohio brigade.
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Colonel Kimberly having been promoted to Brigadier Gen- eral, was assigned to command the brigade. Soon after the organization of the corps, the designation was made Second Brigade, Second Division, Army of the Shenandoah. Strict discipline was inaugurated by Colonel Kimberly in the regi- ments composing the brigade, and a great deal of time was devoted to drill and practice marching. The brigade was re- viewed by 'General Hancock during the month of May, and was very highly complimented for their soldierly appearance while marching in review.
The regiment served on garrison duty in the Shenandoah Valley during the summer, and during a part of its service was stationed at Winchester. The regiment was kept on duty continuously until the latter part of August, and was the last regiment retained in the Shenandoah.
The losses by death were twenty-nine. Two Jerome Town- ship soldiers served in this regiment, Lieut. Henry Hensel and David B. Lattimer. The regiment was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, September 3rd, 1865.
197TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ONE-YEAR SERVICE.
The 197th Regiment was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, under the last call of the President for volunteers during the Civil War. It was mustered into service, one thousand strong, April 12th, 1865, for one year, under Colonel Benton Halstead, and was the last regiment to leave the state. A majority of the officers and many of the rank and file had seen service in other regiments and were fully equipped and ready for service in the field as soon as mustered in. The regiment left Camp Chase for Washington April 25th, and on arrival was as- signed to the Ninth Army Corps and went into camp near Alexandria, Va. It was assigned with the 215th Pennsylvania, 155th Indiana, as the Provisional Brigade.
Soon after this organization was completed the brigade was ordered by rail to Dover, Delaware, and was in camp for one month, employed in guard duty and drill. During the month
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of June the headquarters of the regiment were at Havre-de- Grace, Maryland, and detachments were sent out to guard the railroads and bridges toward Baltimore. While stationed here the designation of the regiment was changed to the Separate Brigade, Eighth Army Corps.
During the month of July the regiment was stationed at Fort Worthington, near Baltimore, and performed garrison duty continuously until ordered to Ohio to be mustered out. But one Jerome Township soldier served in this regiment, Emanuel Lape.
The regiment was composed of a splendid body of men, well drilled and disciplined, who were anxious for service in the field, but the war closed just as the regiment was mus- tered into service and before it reached the front. The loss by death was eighteen. The regiment was mustered out at Tod Barracks, Columbus, Ohio, August 6th, 1865.
7TH INDEPENDENT COMPANY, OHIO SHARP- SHOOTERS, OR GEN. SHERMAN'S BODYGUARD. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
Ten companies of Sharpshooters were organized in Ohio and an effort was made to organize a regiment to be known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters," but the organization was never completed. As the companies were recruited and sent to the front, they were attached to some regiment that did not have a full quota of men to commission the regimental officers.
The Seventh Company of Independent Sharpshooters was organized at Cleveland, Ohio, and mustered into the three years' service on the 27th of January, 1863.
Twenty-five men were recruited in Union County for this company, and Lieut. William M. McCrory, from Jerome Township, was promoted to a Captaincy. The soldiers from Union County who served in this company were farmer boys who had been accustomed to hunting with a rifle, and were fine shots. They preferred this service with the expecta- tion of being permitted to serve on the skirmish line and de- fenses as sharpshooters. Watson C. Squires was mustered in
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as Captain of the company ; William M. McCrory, First Lieu- tenant, and James Cox, Second Lieutenant.
This company first served under Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, and participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Look- out Mountain and Mission Ridge. At the commencement of the Atlanta campaign it was ordered to Gen. Sherman's head- quarters, and remained on duty near the person of the Com- manding General until the close of the war.
The company was commanded by Captain Squire until he was detailed as Judge Advocate, after the battle of Chicka- mauga ; then by Captain McCrory, except during the march to the sea, when, in the absence of Captain McCrory, Lieutenant Cox assumed command.
I saw Captain McCrory on the Atlanta campaign when he had command of the company. He informed me that the duties at General Sherman's headquarters were very pleasant and agreeable, yet he was anxious to be relieved and get out on the skirmish line, but General Sherman would not consent and the company was retained as his escort during the march to the sea and until the close of the war.
Captain William McCrory was a fine shot himself and felt perfectly at home with a rifle in hand watching for a shot on the picket or skirmish line. After the march to the sea and through the Carolinas the company was in the grand review at Washington. It was ordered to Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered out July 28th, 1865.
Three Union County soldiers of this company died in the service, and a number were taken prisoner at Kingston, Ga., November 8th, 1864. Sergeant William B. Haines was a pris- oner of war, was in Andersonville for some months, and can relate some harrowing incidents of the sufferings of Union soldiers in that prison.
The company took an honorable part in fifteen battles and skirmishes. The loss by death was eighteen. On its depart- ure for Ohio for muster-out General Sherman issued the following :
"The General Commanding tenders to officers and men of
JOSEPH KAHLER Isth U. S. I.
CLARK L. BARLOW 95th O. V. I.
HENRY KAHLER $6th O. V. I.
DAVID F. MOKITRICK 174th O. V. 1.
SAMUEL HI. CARSON 12sth O. V. I.
DELMORE SNODGRASS 40th 0. V. I.
CORPORAL CHARLES S. COMSTOCK 46th O. V. I.
CORPORAL JOHN T. MCCULLOUGH 136ch 0. V. I.
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the Seventh Independent Company of the Ohio Sharpshooters his personal thanks for their long and valuable services near his person in the eventful campaign beginning at Chattanooga, Tenn., and ending with the war. He commends them as a fine body of intelligent young volunteers, to whom he attributes his personal safety in the battles, marches and bivouacs in Georgia and the Carolinas. He wishes them long life and a proud consciousness of having done their duty with a cheerful- ness, precision and intelligence worthy the great cause in which they were engaged, and he bespeaks for them a kind and gen- erous welcome back to their old home in Ohio."
TENTH OHIO BATTERY, LIGHT ARTILLERY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
This battery was organized at Xenia, Ohio, and was mus- tered into the service at Camp Dennison on the 3rd day of March, 1862, under Captain Hamilton B. White. It was armed and equipped soon after muster in, and was ordered to St. Louis, and from there to go up the Tennessee River by boat to Pittsburg Landing, where it arrived April 13th, one week after the battle of Pittsburg Landing, fought April 6th and 7th.
The 13th Ohio Battery, which had participated in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, was unfortunate in taking a posi- tion where the horses were shot down, and the battery was captured by the enemy. The members of the battery were transferred to other batteries and the Thirteenth was dis- banded. Among the number so transferred was Charles M. Adams of Jerome Township, who was transferred to the Tenth Battery.
I saw him on the battlefield the next day after the battle, and he was very much depressed. As tears came to his eyes he informed me that he was a gunner in the 13th Battery and was mourning the loss of the gun and the unfortunate condi- tion of his command. He served in the 10th Ohio Battery until January 16th, 1863, was discharged on disability, but
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again reënlisted in Company C, 174th O. V. I., and served to the end of the war.
The 10th Ohio Battery participated in the siege of Corinth, Miss., in April and May, 1862, and after the evacuation of Corinth was on garrison duty at Corinth until September, and during September was at Iuka. The battery participated in the battle of Corinth October 4th, and did yeoman service in repelling the attacks of the rebel infantry by firing grape and canister at short range.
In November the battery moved to Grand Junction. Dur- ing the winter of 1863 it was at Milliken's Bend a part of the time; in May was sent to Grand Gulf, and from this point went on a number of expeditions and had considerable skir- mishing with cavalry of the enemy. In June the battery was on duty at Vicksburg, Big Black, and Jackson.
During the winter the battery was at Vicksburg and vicin- ity and was remounted and equipped at Cairo in May, 1864. The battery was then ordered to join General Sherman's army in Georgia, arrived at Ackworth May 16th, and was continu- ously on the firing line during the Atlanta campaign. After the fall of Atlanta the battery was ordered to Nashville with General Thomas' army, remaining at Nashville through the winter and in March the Tenth and Fourth Ohio Batteries were consolidated.
In April it was ordered to East Tennessee and was on duty at London until ordered to Camp Dennison, Ohio, and mus- tered out July 17th, 1865. The losses by death were eighteen.
THE SQUIRREL HUNTERS, OR MINUTE MEN.
In September, 1862, the Confederate Army under General Kirby Smith, marching up through the State of Kentucky, threatened to invade Ohio.
Governor Tod issued a proclamation calling upon the citi- zens of Ohio to rally to the defense of Cincinnati. He said: "Our Southern border is threatened with invasion. I there- fore recommend that all loyal men form themselves into mili-
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tary companies to beat back the enemy at all points he may attempt to invade the State."
In response to this call two companies went from Union County, aggregating about one hundred men in all, many of them old and gray-haired, prominent among whom was the Rev. B. D. Evans, a very intelligent old Welshman and Pres- byterian minister of Jerome Township. They went with their shotguns, rifles, powder horns and shot pouches. "They re- sponded gloriously to the call for the defense of Cincinnati, and you should acknowledge publicly this gallant conduct," said Governor Tod in a dispatch to the Secretary of War. These men were denominated "Squirrel Hunters" and were, by act of the Legislature, given honorable discharges.
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